Friday, October 15, 2010

Everyone seems to be running around in pursuit of happiness, presumably. But do people succeed in doing so? Well to my reckoning generally NO. You may not agree with me on this account. But I have my own reasons to say so. One may make oneself comfortable with lot of money, but not necessarily make him a happy person. Happiness is not attributable to the rich only, as is generally the common perception. Ever seen people living in the slums? They still laugh, make merry and laugh with their hearts out when the time comes. This reminds me of a song from Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, when in “She is leaving Home” a verse comes “Fun is something that money cannot buy.” And how very true. One can be poor, yet have fun and be happy, while a rich may have vaults full of gold, ornaments and dollars, but nowhere to hide and cry of the miseries he may be facing.

Edith Wharton once wrote, “There are lots of ways of being miserable, but there's only one way of being comfortable, and that is to stop running round after happiness. If you make up your mind not to be happy there's no reason why you shouldn't have a fairly good time.”So you see, happiness is something to do with your inner self, your attitudes and the way you see yourself and the world. One cannot find something named “happiness” ready for sale in the Harrods or some big super store. One may spend millions, but may still not be happy, while someone could be just happy by not paying even a penny for it.

Just forget about your miseries and misgivings for a while and then see the world through a different lens. Watch a limbless man dragging him on the streets. He could be you too. But you have all limbs intact; shouldn’t you be happy for it? While you ride a Mercedes, look at the one walking in scorching heat on burning charcoal of the road. You could have been walking like him too, but you are seated in the luxury of the air-conditioned car – doesn’t this makes you happy? The recent flood took a heavy toll of the poor living in mud houses, which were washed away along with the lifetime possessions of the poor people who could not live in the posh localities of the cities which did not get affected by the floods. Or people whose limbs were blown away in a suicide bomb attack and are left to live a de-capacitated life forever.

Let us form this day stop running after happiness – and be happy what we have. Our children, our families, their smiles and love for us. This is what matters.